I feel like we need to have a discussion about reciprocity.

For a very long time, I viewed individual states lack of reciprocity as an absolute redundancy, often using drivers licenses as an example in my argument. Think about it: If you take a driver’s education class and pass your written, road and eye tests to receive a valid Wisconsin’s drivers license, does anyone really think it necessary to repeat the process in the state of Illinois?

Redundant, right? If you can drive a car on Wisconsin roads and highways, you can do so in Illinois as well.

Of course, it’s up to you to learn the road laws in any and every state you choose to travel to, but the basic rules-of-the-road and knowledge of how to operate a motor vehicle stay with you.

Follow my logic so far?

Good.

So I’m having a discussion about this with a friend the other day and he says, “Whoa, Jenn! You’re asking for the Feds to have control over gun rights rather than the states?” Then he tisk-tisked me and said, “Bad libertarian, bad!”

I can’t publish what I said back, but needless to say, this really got me struggling to align my libertarian-leaning logical mind with the sudden realization that I would actually be in favor of handing concealed carry control over to the Feds.

I’ve been a strong supporter of the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has also used the drivers license analogy in voicing his support for S498.

“This operates more or less like a driver’s license,” he said. “So, for example, if you have a driver’s license in Texas, you can drive in New York, in Utah and other places, subject to the laws of those states.” Further commenting that this measure, if passed into law, would “eliminate some of the ‘gotcha moments,’ where people inadvertently cross state lines” with guns they are legally allowed to carry elsewhere.”

NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action is also a strong supporter of S498. Their executive director Chris Cox explains, “The current patchwork of state and local laws is confusing for even the most conscientious and well-informed concealed carry permit holders. This confusion often leads to law-abiding gun owners running afoul of the law when they exercise their right to self-protection while traveling or temporarily living away from home.”

“Our fundamental right to self-defense does not stop at a state’s borders. Law abiding citizens should be able to exercise this right while traveling across state lines,” Cox added.

And I agree. But if you look at other arguments, for example, the same sex marriage issue; do we still feel the same way?

What I’d really like to know is, what do you think? If we push for and ultimately pass the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, is this a slippery slope in repealing states’ rights to govern as they see fit?

Ultimately, I believe that Constitutional Carry should be the law of the land, but since it isn’t, let’s get our ducks in a row to make or break the case for Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity.